Tape cutter



Aug. 1964 J. SHIREJIAN 3,144,185

TAPE CUTTER Filed April 50, 1962 JACOB SHIREJ/AN lNVENTO/Q I HUEBNER 8 WORREL ,4 TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,144,185 TAPE CUTTER Jacob Shirejian, P.0. Box 524, Fowler, Calif. Filed Apr. 30, 1962, Ser. No. 191,040 4 Claims. (Cl. 225-56) The present invention relates to a tape cutter but more particularly to such a cutter which may be held in a Variety of tape severing positions. Specifically, the cutter of the present invention is conveniently employed to sever selected lengths of tape from a roll of such tape and in addition, is adapted accurately to sever tape previously or being applied to a support surface.

Workmen frequently employ a variety of adhesive backed tapes to carry out particular tasks. For instance, electricians primarily use an adhesive backed fabric tape, commonly known as friction tape, which is conventionally severed from a roll of such tape by tearing with the fingers. Although such operation is not particularly diflicult for skilled workmen, such severing is accomplished only with difficulty by the layman. More significantly, professional painters employ a paper composition tape to mask off areas not to be painted and to provide a uniform edge between the painted and unpainted areas. This tape is conventionally severed from the roll by manually tearing a selected strip therefrom in the above described manner. Although such tape tears more easily than the fabric tape, the selected length of tape must be severed with a greater degree of precision to provide a uniform substantially straight edge for painting.

The prior art has provided a variety of devices for severing such tape which have so far been restricted for use with rolls of such tape. Such devices are usually carried for operation by a tapered opening into which the finger of the user is wedged. With continued use, considerable discomfort is experienced in maintaining such devices in an operating position on a roll of tape. These devices also employ side flanges which are adapted to embrace the sides of such a roll and provide a cutting edge closely adjacent to the periphery thereof. With the cutting edge thus disposed, the free end of the tape is permitted readily to re-engage the roll making subsequent grasping of such end difiic-ult for subsequent severing operations. Furthermore, the cutter positioning flanges preclude the utilization of the cutter for severing tape previously applied to a support surface. This problem is particularly onerous when the surface to be taped is recessed and the tape must be severed coincident with the corner or side wall of the recess.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tape cutter which may be conveniently held on a finger of a users hand without discomfort during continued use.

Another object is to provide such a tape cutter which is readily adjustable comfortably to fit the desired finger of the hand.

Another object is to provide a tape cutter which can conveniently be held by the user in a variety of tape severing positions.

Another object is to provide a tap cutter which is readily adapted to be positioned against a roll of tape.

Another object is to provide such a tape cutter having a serrated cutting edge disposed outwardly of such roll so that after severing a selected length of tape the remaining free end may be readily grasped for subsequent severing operations.

Another object is to provide a tap cutter which is readily adapted accurately to sever tape previously applied to a support surface.

Another object is to provide a tape cutter which is lightweight, has no movable parts, is economical and is convenient to use.

3,144,185 Patented Aug. 11, 1964 Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent in the subsequent description in the specification.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan View of the tape cutter of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the tape cutter of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective of the tape cutter shown mounted on a roll of tape.

FIG. 4 is a perspective of the tape cutter shown positioned against a section of tape applied to a support surface.

FIG. 5 is a perspective of a tape cutter adapted to be held against the support surface in a manner different from that of FIG. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the tape cutter of the present invention provides a body 10 of a continuous band of substantially rigid sheet material such as stainless steel, hard plastic or the like. While the body of the tape cutter is shown in the preferred embodiment as being constructed of a continuous band, it will be readily apparent that such body may be formed by casting, or the like, as by fabricating from individual component parts. The body provides .a substantially almond or eliptically-shaped loop portion 11 having a longitudinal axis and opposite transversely convex, longitudinally substantially flat, external rocker surfaces 12. The rocker surfaces define a finger receiving opening 14 therebetween. The sheet material from which the body is formed, while being substantially rigid, is sufiiciently flexible so that the loop portion 11 thereof can be readily adjusted by crimping with pliers or the like. As best shown in FIG. 1, each of the opposite rocker surfaces 12 of the loop portion 11 provides arcuately concave opposite side edges 15.

The body 10 also includes an integral substantially flat blade 16 which is radially outwardly extended from the axis of the loop portion 11. The blade includes a plurality of teeth 17 which provide a serrated cutting edge 18 spaced in substantially parallel relation to the axis of the loop.

The body 10 further provides a finger engaging heel portion 29 integral with the body and radially extended therefrom in substantially diametrically opposed relation to the blade 16. The heel provides opposite substantially flat reaction surfaces 22 which are extended in spaced planes substantially parallel to each other and to the plane of the blade.

Operation The operation of the described embodiment of the subject invention is believed to be readily apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. As best shown in FIGS. 3 through 5, a users hand is generally indicated by the reference numeral 25 in operational association with the tape cutter of the present invention. The thumb, index and middle fingers, 26, 27 and 28, respectively, are employed primarily in the operation of the instant tape cutter. In FIG. 3, the body 10 of the tape cutter is adapted to be constrained against the periphery of a roll of tape 30 having a free end 31. Such positioning is accomplished by inserting the index finger 27 through the opening 14 in the loop portion 11 of the body. The rocker surface 12 of the loop adjacent to the periphery of the roll is rockably engaged therewith and the reaction surface 22 adjacent to the roll may be engaged therewith by pressure on the opposite reaction surface by the middle finger 28 of the hand. In such position, the cutting edge 18 of the blade 16 is substantially tangentially aligned with the periphery of the roll in outward extension therefrom. The free end 31 of the tape is extended outwardly of the roll a predetermined distance and is dropped over the cutting edge at the desired severing point. The free end of the tape is then drawn downwardly to sever the same along the cutting edge 18 which force tends to rock the body in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3 but which movement is restricted or precluded by the reaction surface 22 of the heel 20. With the cutting edge extended outwardly of the roll, the remaining free end of the tape formed subsequent to severing the desired length of tape from the roll is of a length sufiicient for convenient grasping for subsequent severing operations. Also, it will be readily apparent that during the above described severing operation, the tape cutter of the present invention is effectively maintained in an operating position without any more strain on the fingers or hand of the user than would be experienced in merely holding the roll of tape.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the tape cutter of the present invention is readily adapted for severing tape precisely at any desired location on a support surface 32 to which the tape had been previously applied. In this operation, the index finger 27 of the users hand is received within the opening 14 of the loop portion 11 of the body as before. The cutting edge 18 is maintained in optimum severing attitude by resting the heel 20 on the middle finger 28 which is positioned between the support surface and the heel. The thumb 26 of the hand engages the uppermost rocker surface 12 of the loop to provide a force suflicient to maintain the cutting edge in intimate relation with the tape. The free end of the tape is then torn upwardly along the cutting edge for precise severing of the same therealong.

Such operation is substantially duplicated in FIG.

except for the manner in which the tape cutter is constrained in the above described severing position. As shown, the opposite side edges 15 of the body are gripped between the thumb and index finger with the middle finger again supporting the heel portion of the body in elevationally spaced supporting relation to the support surface. With the tape cutter held in this manner, it is readily adapted to position the cutting edge 18 in recesses against the sides or corners accurately and conveniently to sever tape in such recess.

In view of the foregoing, it is readily apparent that the tape cutter of the present invention provides an improved tape severing device which may be conveniently disposed in a variety of tape severing positions without discomfort during repeated or extended periods of use. The tape cutter of the present invention is not only adapted for severing tape from a roll but may be conveniently utilized for severing tape previously or being applied to a support surface with a degree of precision not heretofore possible with the prior art devices.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention,

4 which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tape cutter comprising an annular body portion providing an opening adapted to receive a users finger therethrough having a predetermined longitudinally axis of reference and an externally disposed convex rocker surface longitudinally substantially parallel to said axis and transversely curved in a direction about said axis, a blade integral with the body portion outwardly extended therefrom having an outer edge substantially in a plane common to the axis, and a combined rocker stop and finger lever integral with the body portion outwardly extended therefrom oppositely from the blade and substantially in the plane of the blade and the axis.

2. A tape cutter adapted to be worn by a user on a first finger, about which it is rotatable, and to be controllably positioned by an adjacent'finger, comprising an annular band of sheet material providing a first finger receiving opening having a predetermined axis of reference and an externally disposed convex rocker surface lon gitudinally substantially parallel to the axis and transversely curved in a direction about said axis, a blade continuous with the annular band radially extended from the axis and having a serrated outer edge substantially parallel to the axis, and a lever continuous with said annular band outwardly extended therefrom oppositely from the blade and substantially in the plane of the blade and the axis engageable by said adjacent finger of the user.

3. A tape cutter comprising a continuous band of sheet material having an annular loop adapted to receive a users finger therethrough, a blade substantially radially extended from the loop, and a heel oppositely extended from the loop in a plane common to the blade which is disposed substantially diametrically of the loop.

4. A tape cutter comprising an elongated annular body portion providing an opening longitudinally thereof elongated to receive a users finger therethrough and an externally disposed arcuate rocker surface curved in a direction about said opening, a blade integral with the body portion laterally outwardly extended therefrom in a plane disposed longitudinally of the body portion, and a com bined rocker stop and finger lever integral with the body portion laterally outwardly extended therefrom oppositely from the blade and in a plane disposed longitudinally of the body portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,560,394 Slezak July 10, 1951 2,572,245 Coldiron Oct. 23, 1951 2,578,519 Double Dec. 11, 1951 2,727,572 Di Carlo Dec. 20, 1955 

1. A TAPE CUTTER COMPRISING AN ANNULAR BODY PORTION PROVIDING AN OPENING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A USER''S FINGER THERETHROUGH HAVING A PREDETERMINED LONGITUDINALLY AXIS OF REFERENCE AND AN EXTERNALLY DISPOSED CONVEX ROCKER SURFACE LONGITUDINALLY SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID AXIS AND TRANSVERSELY CURVED IN A DIRECTION ABOUT SAID AXIS, A BLADE INTEGRAL WITH THE BODY PORTION OUTWARDLY EXTENDED THEREFROM HAVING AN OUTER EDGE SUBSTANTIALLY IN A PLANE COMMON TO THE AXIS, AND A COMBINED ROCKER STOP AND FINGER LEVER INTEGRAL WITH THE BODY PORTION OUTWARDLY EXTENDED THEREFROM OPPOSITELY FROM THE BLADE AND SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PLANE OF THE BLADE AND THE AXIS. 